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by chick_with_wifi



Series: Isn't there a law against that? [7]
Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Bad Puns, Chronic Illness, F/F, Fluff and Humor, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Some angst, Wedding Fluff, shoot are getting married
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-25
Updated: 2018-08-25
Packaged: 2019-06-29 15:44:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15732498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chick_with_wifi/pseuds/chick_with_wifi
Summary: A lot has happened in the five years since Shaw proposed to Root, and the big day has finally arrived. Their wedding is going to be an emotional event for everyone involved.Featuring: flashbacks to Shoot’s slowburn friends-to-girlfriends involving a school dance and bed sharing, the reality of living with a chronic illness, a generous amount of humour and some truly facepalm-inducing puns.





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**Author's Note:**

> Here it is everyone, the final installment of my series 'isn't there a law against that?'. If you haven't read the other stories, all you need to know is that Team Machine are teenage troublemakers, Shoot have been dating since their freshman year of college and Root has cystic fibrosis.
> 
> This series is very close to my heart and I wanted to give them the happy ending they deserve, while also keeping it realistic. I tried not to go overboard with the CF stuff, but at the same time I wanted to give an accurate picture of what life is like with a chronic illness.
> 
> Thank you so much to everyone who reads this and I hope you enjoy the story ❤

“Where is she?” Shaw muttered to John.

“I know Root has never been on time in her life,” he whispered back, “but trust me, even she wouldn’t be late to her own wedding. There’s no way Joss would ever allow that.”

“I hope you’re right.” Shaw looked down the aisle that stretched away from the elevated platform on which they were standing and towards a closed set of double doors.

30 of their closest friends and family were assembled in the pews, dressed in all their finery, and beginning to glance down the aisle then at the clock.

Shaw herself had been persuaded into a black pantsuit with a grey tie and was wearing her hair loose. She had managed to draw the line before Zoe had tried to put makeup on her, thank goodness.

The majority of their wedding planning had fallen to Joss, John and Zoe (with help from Harold and Grace) because Root hadn’t been up to it and Shaw was completely clueless about flower arrangements, canapés and who knows what else people expected to find at weddings.

Their friends had done an amazing job and Shaw was sure it would be the best darn wedding anyone had ever seen.

That said, there had been times when Shaw hadn’t been sure if they were even going to be able to go through with it, but Root had insisted that she wanted to be Shaw’s wife more than anything else in the world. So Shaw made it her mission to ensure that the show went on.

The doors swung open and Shaw’s breath hitched in her throat. It was time.

The first person through the doors was Genrika Zhirova, a neighbour and young acquaintance of the couple who had quickly become something of a surrogate daughter to them.

She was wearing a floaty lilac dress and carrying a small basket of confetti, which she strew as she walked.

Following her closely was Bear, who was no longer officially Root’s service dog which meant he had become a full-time family pet. He held a pillow in his mouth, atop which rested their rings.

You guessed it, he was the ring Bear-er. It was Root’s idea.

After that, Root herself entered. Resplendent in a beaded ivory gown and a long veil that Joss was carrying the train of, Root looked beautiful. Her hair was impeccably curled and fell across her shoulders, framing her face perfectly.

She looked at Shaw with an apprehensive smile, the likes of which Shaw had never seen on her face before.

-

_“Quick, he’s gaining on us!”_

_“I lost my shoe!”_

_“Can’t slow down now, Cinderella. We’re almost there.”_

_“But Sameen! I have CF.”_

_“Not that old chestnut again. Come on.”_

_Root and Sameen sprinted through the trees and came crashing to a stop when Root tripped over a fallen branch._

_She lost her footing and braced in preparation for the ground to smack her in the face as soon as she realised that she would be unable to stop her fall._

_Upon realising that she somehow hadn’t hit the ground, she cautiously opened one eye and made the discovery that Sameen had caught her, one arm around her waist and the other supporting her head. Well. That made more sense than the force of gravity no longer applying to her, anyhow._

_“Thanks,” she mumbled, trying not to stare at the strong, muscular arms holding her._

_“No problem,” Sameen replied. Lowering Root back to onto her feet, she used one hand to steady her and make sure she didn’t fall again. “You good?”_

_“Yes, I think so.” Root cleared her throat and adjusted her shirt, trying to preserve whatever dignity she still had left. It wasn’t much, considering she had just realised there was a leaf tangled in her hair._

_She combed it out then found herself looking into Sameen’s eyes which, she noticed, were beautiful. Had they always had those golden flecks in them?_

_Something about that moment reminded her of the scenes in young adult books where the protagonist, who is ‘not like other girls’, sees a ‘mysterious’ ‘tall dark and handsome’ boy for the first time and the world seems to stop as she falls madly in love with him despite the two having never spoken. He might turn out to be a huge jerk, she always wanted to remind the protagonist._

_Anyway, Root had never expected herself to actually have those butterflies-inducing, bad-poetry-writing, firework-comparing romantic feelings with anyone, but at that point she realised that she was having them for Sameen. And somehow that didn’t scare her as much as she thought it would._

_Sirens began to wail in the distance and the pair peered apprehensivrly through a gap in the trees, looking out for the blue and red flashing lights they knew would appear any second._

_“Uh...Sam?” Root said quietly._

_“Yeah?”_

_“You’re still holding my hand.”_

_Sameen looked down at their interlaced fingers. “Huh, so I am.” She glanced at Root with a teasing smile. “You got a problem with that?”_

_“N-no, of course not,” Root stuttered, trying not to blush._

_“Good. Then let’s get out of here before the police find us. That dude really wasn’t pleased with us for burning down his garage.”_

_“He deserved it.”_

_“Yes, that he did.” Sameen said darkly._

_Root heard the sirens again, this time from somewhere to her right, and realised with a sinking sense that they were indeed getting closer. “We should go.”_

_The whole situation was quite exhilarating really. Maybe she ought to break the law more often. Her and Sameen could be partners in crime. Now there’s an idea, she thought._

_She squeezed Sameen’s hand as an idea came to her. “Come on, we can steal a car. I know how to hotwire one”_

_Sameen rolled her eyes but allowed herself to be dragged along by Root. “Yeah, but do you actually know how to drive?”_

_“No,” she replied, slightly out of breath but by no means deterred. “But John does so it can’t be that hard.”_

-

As Root cautiously ascended the steps up to the elevated platform, careful not to trip in her heels, she felt a great calm settle within her.

Initially she had been nervous, but when she saw Shaw smiling back at her, she realised that this was where she was meant to be. Ready to share her life with the woman she loved more than anything.

Joss released Root’s train and arranged it so that it cascaded down the steps like an ivory waterfall, then gave her a quick ‘good luck’ wink and went to sit down on the front row next to Zoe. Harold and Grace were also there since they had come back from Italy especially for the big day.

Also in the front row were Root’s parents, who both gave her a thumbs up as she glanced at them. Her mom looked ready to cry and her dad asked her in sign language, “Are you ready for this?”

She signed back “I hope so” and then almost reflexively made the sign for ‘I love you’. She hadn’t wanted them to walk her down the aisle, in order to retain the independence it had taken her so long to gain, but it meant a lot to her that they were there to support her, just like always.

Shaw’s family were there too, doing their best not to get emotional. Root recognised some of them from her trip on Persian New Year, in particular the cousins Leila and Jamshid who both waved at her.

She turned back to the podium and Shaw gave her an encouraging smile. But truth be told, she didn’t need it. She had never been more ready for anything in her life.

“Dearly beloved,” the officiator began, “we are here today to celebrate the union of Root Groves and Sameen Shaw. I have only had the pleasure of meeting these two lovely ladies a few times before today, but even during these brief encounters I was able to feel the strength of the bond they share. They have been through a lot together in these past few years, more than most people their age, but if anything this has just made them closer. Thus it is truly an honor to marry them today.”

Root blinked furiously, determined not to cry. Shaw gave her hand a little squeeze.

“We’ll begin with you, Root. Please take the ring from Bear.”

She bent down and retrieved the ring from the cushion in Bear’s mouth.

“Now repeat after me. I, Root, take you, Sameen, to be my lawfully wedded wife.”

“I, Root, take you, Sameen, to be my lawfully wedded wife,” she said as she slid the wedding band onto Shaw’s left ring finger.

“To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.”

She repeated everything as needed. She noticed that during ‘in sickness and in health’ Shaw gave a little smile.

“Now for you, Sameen.” Shaw placed the ring on Root’s finger and repeated the vows as well.

“I now pronounce you wife and wife. You may kiss.”

Shaw immediately swung Root into a dip and kissed her passionately, apparently not caring about the onlookers who began applauding.

“You’ve been waiting to do that all day, haven’t you?” Root asked quietly when Shaw eventually pulled back.

“Maybe so,” Shaw replied with a wink.

-

_Root folded her arms and did her level best to hide the smirk she felt pulling at the edges of her lips._

_“Don’t you dare laugh at me,” Shaw practically growled, pointing an accusing finger at Root._

_Root placed a hand on her chest in a mock ‘who, me?’ gesture, trying to look offended at the accusation. “I would never do such a thing.”_

_“Suuure,” Shaw drawled. She tugged at the poofy organza gown Zoe had procured for her to wear at their leavers’ ball to celebrate them graduating high school. “I look like a meringue!”_

_“You don’t look like a meringue, I promise.” Root may have been lying slightly. Overall the dress did have a certain...dessert air to it, but nowhere near as bad as Shaw was making out. Really, she was just being dramatic._

_Apparently Shaw’s attempts to make it more comfortable had been unsuccessful since she reached the end of her tether and seemed to be about to rip it off in a fit of rage._

_“Don’t do that, Shaw,” Joss said. As ever she was the voice of reason. “If you don’t like it we can find you something else to wear.”_

_Shaw sighed heavily. “Fine. What were you thinking?”_

_“Umm.” Joss coughed awkwardly. “I hadn’t got that far yet. But I’ll come up with something, I promise.”_

_“In the meantime,” Zoe added, “You should keep that dress on. It suits you.”_

_Shaw glared at Zoe, who was perched on the edge of Shaw’s bed surrounded by a pile of makeup and hair accessories, literally wearing her pajamas but still managing to look glamorous. “Don’t you have your own outfit to sort out? Unless you’re going to turn up at the dance dressed like that.”_

_Root inclined her head in agreement even though she had a feeling Zoe could turn up wearing a potato sack and still look as though she had just stepped out of the pages of Vogue._

_Zoe shook her head. “I’m not going anywhere. I know what’s going to happen next and it’s funny.” She gave Shaw a critical once-over. “Also you need a white bra. I can see that black one through your dress.”_

_“But I don’t have a white bra,” Shaw protested. She had passed angry by that point and was verging into dangerous territory._

_Joss held out her hands in a calming gesture, trying to diffuse the situation before someone came to blows. “One of us might have one you can borrow, but there’s no guarantee it will fit.”_

_“Yeah there are loads of bra sizes,” Zoe agreed. “Triple A, double A - oh no wait that’s batteries. Nevermind. You get the idea.”_

_Shaw glared. “Unfortunately, I do.”_

_“Aaaanyway,” Root said, taking Shaw by the shoulders and leading her toward the collection of dresses hanging on the back of the door. “Let’s see if we can’t find anything you like a bit better.”_

_Just as she was looking at the dresses, a knock came on the door and John’s voice called out, “You ladies doing ok in there?”_

_“We’re doing great,” Joss replied before anyone else could. She glared at them, daring them to disagree._

_“Good. Just let me know if there’s anything you need,” John said through the door._

_“Will do.” Joss smiled at her friends. “Support your local girl gang, right?”_

_They managed to find a short black dress which Shaw much preferred and make it to the party without any more incidents._

_It was a crowded venue with loud music and roving colored strobe lights, which Shaw hated instantly. Their music taste was terrible._

_After half an hour, she wanted to leave. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the 15th former classmate who had come up to her to wish her a nice summer and all the best for the future. It had been irksome the first few times, irritating following that and was beginning to edge into full-fledged near-torture territory._

_“You too,” she forced herself to respond in what she hoped was a friendly tone._

_Well Wisher Number 15 walked away and Shaw allowed herself a tiny groan under her breath._

_“Wanna get out of here?” a quiet voice asked from behind her._

_She turned and saw that Root had appeared at her elbow._

_“Hell yes,” Shaw said, almost sagging with relief. “If one more person wishes me ‘all the best’ I just might punch them.”_

_“Then what are you waiting for? Let’s bail.”_

_Root took her hand so they wouldn’t get seperated in the crowd, and together they made their way to the door._

_En route, they passed John and Joss so Shaw gave them a quick two finger salute._

_Once they were outside in the cool night air, Shaw finally allowed herself to relax. “That was...not something I’m in a hurry to do again. Ever.”_

_Root laughed. “I relate. People can be exhausting. Especially in large numbers.”_

_“You got that right,” Shaw muttered._

_“But at least we have each other.”_

_“Always.”_

_They looked at each other and almost without realising, leaned in and kissed. For both of them it was their first kiss, and a near-magical experience._

_“Wow,” Root managed to say when they pulled away from each other._

_“You got that right,” Shaw replied, smiling._

_“So.” Root clasped her hands together. “What do we do now? I mean we could always go back to my place. My folks won’t mind.”_

_“Uh, sure.”_

_So they headed down to the Groves residence, which Shaw had visited quite a few times over the years but had never spent the night._

_They flopped down onto Root’s bed and switched on the tv, channel surfing until they settled on an old sitcom episode._

_After half an hour, Root looked at the clock and sighed. “It’s that time again.”_

_“Medical stuff?” Shaw asked. She knew part of Root having cystic fibrosis involved daily medical treatments, but had never seen her do them._

_“Yep. I’ll be back in a sec.”_

_She left the room and came back a few moments later with some inhalers._

_“What do they do?” Shaw asked, out of genuine interest. Recently she had been giving increasingly serious thought to applying to med school._

_“This one -” she held up a blue inhaler with a spacer “- is salbutamol which opens up the airways and this one -” she held up a larger dark blue one “- is hypertonic saline which thins the mucus. Kinda gross, I know, but it be like that sometimes when you have a chronic illness.”_

_After doing the inhalers, she started to head towards the door but paused just before she reached it and turned back slightly. “Actually, Sameen, how would you feel about helping me with this? I usually get my parents to do it, but since you’re here…”_

_“Yeah no problem. Just tell me what you need.”_

_Root lay down on her bed. “It’s sort of like what you did at the gym that time, you remember?”_

_“Yeah. So I just tap on your chest, right?”_

_Root nodded. “That’s right. It helps dislodge the mucus. I know it’s disgusting, I’m so sorry.”_

_“No, Root, it’s ok. Really.”_

_She cupped her hands and did as Root showed her._

_“You gotta do it harder.”_

_“But I don’t want to hurt you.”_

_“You won’t. I’m tougher than I look.”_

_Once that was done and Root had finished the rest of her treatments, they got in bed._

_Neither had given much thought to the fact that they would have to share a bed, but it felt almost natural to them. After years of being friends they had achieved a level of comfort with each other that they shared with nobody else._

_At the time they might not have known exactly what that kiss meant, but when they fell asleep with their arms around each other it started to become clear._

-

Following the vow ceremony, the congregation went through to take their seats at the tables in the spacious adjoining dining room. Each place setting contained an intricate name label handmade by Grace, and Zoe had been in charge of sorting the seating arrangements.

The central table had Root, Sameen, John and Joss (and Bear had his own place set for him). At the next table were Harold, Grace, Zoe and Lionel. Then there were tables for the brides’ families.

Before the food arrived, John tapped his glass to get everyone’s attention. Then he cleared his throat, straightened his tie and stood to give the best man’s speech.

Shaw leaned over to him and whispered, “If you make everyone cry I’ll kick your ass.”

“Noted,” he said. Then, addredding the entire room, “Excuse me, may I have your attention for a moment please? Ahem. We are gathered here to celebrate the union between Root and Shaw, who have been through more in the past few years than most people will in their entire lives and share a love the likes of which I have never seen before. Filled with such unconditional trust and support. Slightly unconventional at times but still a relationship to be admired.

As you all know, Shaw proposed five years ago while we were all on holiday together. Shortly after that she asked me to be her best man and of course I said yes. Then, unfortunately, the wedding was then repeatedly delayed, because of one thing or another, and though sadly not everyone is able to be with us today -” he glanced at the Shaws “- I’m sure you will all join me in wishing the best for the happy couple as they move into the next stage of their lives together. One they very much deserve, now that Root has had her successful double lung transplant so her health is doing much better, and they are married, of course, can’t forget that.”

The audience chuckled.

“And one more thing,” he continued. “Correct me if I’m wrong but I believe it is also the job of the best man to tell an embarrassing story about the couple.”

Shaw whispered, “Oh no.” And Root blushed bright red, trying to hide behind her. 

“I had a lot to choose from, but I settled on one that I believe none of you have ever heard before. The story of what happened in San Diego.”

“Oh you wouldn't dare,” Root said in a low voice, glaring daggers at him.

Joss choked on her drink and nearly did a spit take but managed to stop it at the last second. Root patted her on the back.

Shaw, meanwhile, was rolling up her sleeves and halfway out of her seat like she was about to rugby tackle John right there and then, and probably challenge him to a duel while she was at it.

“Calm down, Sweetie,” Root said quietly, attempting to push Shaw back down into her seat. “No violence at our wedding, remember?”

“But he’s gonna tell everyone about San Diego!” Shaw protested, so loud that it carried right across the silent room and all the guests turned to look at her.

“Actually I’m not,” John said. “Your reactions to that were better than any embarrassing story I could have told.” He nodded to the other guests. “Thank you and goodnight.”

“What a snake,” Root whispered, folding her arms.

“I need a drink,” Shaw said. She downed her own glass of wine in one gulp then polished off John’s as well.

Once the speeches were finished, the food was served. And following that it was then time for the dancing to begin. 

They didn’t have a DJ, because Harold had set up the sound system so that it would begin a pre-prepared playlist at the touch of a button.

The first track was a slow, romantic song and Root stood, offering her hand to Shaw. “May I have this dance?”

-

_“And another thing,” Root declared, pushing Shaw’s bedroom door open so vigorously that it smacked the wall perpendicular to it._

_Shaw sat up sleepily, blinking slowly at the light shining through the doorway. “What?”_

_“Another reason that ‘a few’ is an unspecified amount greater than two: the word ‘fewer’. If you have, say, six objects and you get rid of one then you will have fewer objects, but you will not have three. Thus a few cannot be three. Problem solved.”_

_“I can’t believe you’re still thinking about this,” Shaw mumbled as she rubbed her eyes. “I’m starting to wish I never told you about that building-wide debate at work.”_

_“Since you’re awake,” Root continued, crossing the room in two steps and perching on the end of Shaw’s bed._

_“I’m not awake,” Shaw said. She lay back down and pulled the duvet up to her chin._

_Root opened her mouth to make a sarcastic retort, but her lungs apparently had other ideas and she doubled up coughing._

_Shaw sat up slowly and gave Root a sympathetic half-smile once she was finished. “Still not improved enough for you to sleep, huh?”_

_Shaking her head, Root took a few deep breaths. “No. And l between that and the nausea and the vertigo, it’s a wonder I get any sleep at all. And right now I’m in some weird too-ill-to-sleep-too-tired-to-do-anything limbo.”_

_Shaw patted her shoulder sympathetically, knowing sadly there wasn’t much else to she could do._

_At that point the phone rang and Root went to answer it. What she heard sent her mind racing, so much so that she lost her grip on the handset and it fell to the floor._

_“Root? What is it? Is everything ok?” Shaw asked, coming out of the bedroom._

_“It’s really happening,” Root said, scarcely able to believe it. “I’m getting new lungs.”_

-

“What a day,” Root sighed as she lay back on the bed. She had changed out of her wedding dress and into pajamas.

“Don’t worry,” Shaw replied on her way out of the bathroom, rubbing her hair with a towel. “Most people only get married once.”

“But Joss caught the bouquet, didn’t she?” Root propped herself up on one elbow. “So her and John should be tying the knot any day now. That is how it works, right? The person who catches the bouquet is the next to get married.”

Shaw sat down on the bed. “That is the myth, yes. Personally I think it’s a load of whack.”

“I’m beginning to get that feeling about a lot of wedding lore. Like that whole ‘something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue’ or whatever the phrase is.”

“I still can’t believe the only wedding you’ve ever been to is your own.” Shaw shook her head, smiling.

Root scoffed. “Oh please, I left a guy at the altar just last year.”

“Really?” Shaw asked, looking at her sharply.

Root held up a hand. “No I’m just messing with you.” She laughed. “Your face was priceless.”

A knock came at the door and a voice called, “Hello? I have room service for Mrs and Mrs Shaw.”

Root smiled fondly at her wife. “That’s us.”


End file.
